Yoko Maeda is a partner in the Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Practice at City-Yuwa Partners, one of Japan's leading law firms. Based in Tokyo, City-Yuwa Partners is now the seventh largest business law firm in the country.
Ms. Maeda is qualified to practice law in both Japan and New York. She holds an LL.M. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and an LL.B. from the University of Tokyo. Fluent in both Japanese and English, she has been a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators since 2019. Ms. Maeda is consistently recognized as a leading lawyer by prominent publications such as Chambers Global, Who’s Who Legal, and Legal 500.
Her practice spans a broad range of sectors, including construction, energy, life sciences, pharmaceuticals, electronic components, and IT, with a particular focus on renewable energy projects such as solar, offshore and onshore wind power, and biomass. In addition to her dispute resolution work, Ms. Maeda advises clients on contract drafting and regulatory compliance in renewable energy projects.
Ms. Maeda frequently serves as counsel in both arbitration and litigation, representing parties under major institutional rules such as AAA/ICDR, ICC, KCAB, JCAA, SIAC, and VIAC. From 2018 to 2024, she served as a member of the ICC Court, further enhancing her extensive expertise in arbitration procedures.
In addition to her role as counsel, Ms. Maeda also regularly serves as an arbitrator. She is a published author on international arbitration and commercial litigation and is a sought-after speaker at global conferences hosted by organizations such as the ICC, International Bar Association, Inter-Pacific Bar Association, and various arbitral institutions worldwide.